


Vehemence

by Rei_Howaitorozu



Series: I, Like the Devil: I, Like God [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Abuse, Angels, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Child Abuse, Childhood Friends, Childhood Love, Demons, Emotional Healing, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Experimentation, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Physical Abuse, Unethical Experimentation, original clan, yin and yang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:33:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26238661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei_Howaitorozu/pseuds/Rei_Howaitorozu
Summary: Nakawgawa Sakazu, abducted as an infant by a cultists, is subjected to torture and experimentation as to turn her into the perfect weapon and guardian for Princess Otsutsuki Kaguya when she returns to the realm of mortals. When she is rescued by Hatake Kakashi and learns of her family clan's origins she vows to protect The Land of Fire and the world from the monstrous goddess by any means possible.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s), Original Character/Original Character, eventual Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: I, Like the Devil: I, Like God [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1739983
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Climb the Long Stairs to Thin Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A baby is born to Nakagawa Tsubaki and Isamu. She is subsequently spirited away from the hospital in the dead of night. Sarutobi Hiruzen puts a warrant out for her safe return after a turbulent meeting with Tentai clan heads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello! 
> 
> This is the first installment in the larger story about Sakazu! She is a very old OC of mine, but has become quite a comfort to me during this pandemic and I have completely reworked her story. I am now ready to share it!
> 
> I hope you enjoy yourselves with this short first chapter!

It was a long and arduous labor. The midwives and medic-nin said that the first one was usually the most difficult. They were not wrong in that regard. Tsubaki lay back against the stiff pillows on her hospital bed, lungs still heaving from the ordeal. Her husband – her dear husband – Isamu held her hand gently, knowing she was in an excruciating amount of pain. Such a simple gesture, though comforting in a way Tsubaki would never be able to explain.

Midwives and medic-nin were buzzing about the room, cleaning the blood from Tsubaki’s prone body, disposing of the placenta and umbilical cord. Several cooed over in the corner where they were cleansing the baby of birthing fluid and blood.

Tsubaki knew, even before she saw her baby, that she would be the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes upon. Something she created with the person she loved most in the world despite the problems their union posed.

Tenderly, a midwife placed the small pink bundle at Tsubaki’s breast, making sure Tsubaki was able to hold it securely before stepping back to help the others clean the room. She heard Isamu gasp before she was able to lay eyes on their newborn child. Gods, was she beautiful.

Newborn children did not often look beautiful, but theirs did. Her hair was a fine light-colored fuzz and her bright blue eyes were wide and staring up at Tsubaki. Secretly, she hoped they would darken to look like Isamu’s instead of her own bright green. She did so love his dark eyes.

After a while, and taking turns holding the baby, she began to cry and a midwife bustled in to show Tsubaki how to nurse her. After that, the midwife took the baby to the nursery for observation with the promise to wake Tsubaki and Isamu for the next feeding.

However, that feeding never came. The next thing the young couple knew was they were woken up with the news that their newborn daughter had been taken. The kidnapper had snuck her out of the hospital sometime between the hour they had last seen her and her next feeding time.

How could this have happened? In a hospital full of shinobi no less?

The doctors gave Tsubaki something to sleep and promised they would do all they could to make sure their baby was retrieved. The kidnapper could not have gotten far.

This was not the case, though. Despite Konohagakure’s best efforts, it was like the newborn baby had vanished into thin air. It was inconceivable. How could such a thing happen?

* * *

The only time the Tentai family heads ever got along was when it came to dealing with those who intermarried between the two families. Legally, they could not stop the couples from forming a union. But the head families did everything they could to make their lives miserable. Especially when it came to Kurokawa Isamu and Nakagawa Tsubaki. Their own traitorous children.

So, when the patriarchs of the two head families were sitting calmly in the Sandaime’s office together, he merely assumed it would be another ninja family squabble he would be obliged to quash. He did not expect the conversation which was to unfold.

“It has come to our attention that our errant children have produced offspring.” Nakagawa Akihko stated.

The Sandaime observed the proud, pale man. He had always known the Nakagawa family to take the lead when it came to Tentai politics. He never knew why, but he assumed it was because they considered the Kurokawa to be the inferior family.

“It has also come to our attention that said offspring has been stolen.” Kurokawa Hanzou said.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded pensively at the dark-haired man. He knew of whom the clan leaders spoke. Poor Tsubaki-chan and Isamu-kun. They had been in the office nearly every day since the kidnapping, clamoring to know if any progress had been made.

“If it is found,” Akihiko began. “We demand your shinobi put it down.”

Astonishment hit Hiruzen and he nearly toppled out of his seat. He knew it was frowned upon for a Kurokawa to marry a Nakagawa. The Nidaime had convinced the family heads to change their archaic rules so that marriage and intermingling were not outlawed anymore, but that did nothing to change the stigma perpetuated by the head familes. And clan politics aside, it never would have been legal for them to put down innocent newborns.

“What are you getting at, Nakagawa-san?” Hiruzen nearly growled.

“Exactly what I have stated, Hokage-sama.” He replied smoothly. “The child should not be allowed to exist. It will be a danger to society, and maybe the world.”

“This is your granddaughter we are speaking of.” The Sandaime snapped.

“That creature is no family of ours.” Hanzou interjected cooly.

“In spite of this,” Hiruzen waved his hand at their callous affect. “What remains is that she is a newborn child, incapable of harming anyone.”

“Yet,” Akihiko asserted.

“Yes,” Hanzou agreed. “The creature will prove to be a blight upon the world. It must be eliminated.”

Hiruzen was in disbelief at the coldness in which these men were discussing their own granddaughter. Put her down? Eliminate her? There was no question. That would not be happening.

“That will be all gentlemen,” he waved at them in dismissal. “I will take what you have said into consideration.”

The two men stood. One light, one dark. Yin and yang. Except there was nothing of that philosophy in these men. Both were hateful and rotten with greed and ambitions of power. Hiruzen was privy to their dispositions.

“Please do, Hokage-sama.” Akihiko said stiffly, affording the Sandaime a slight bow.

The sigh he had been holding in escaped him as soon as the Tentai men had left. Hiruzen would not be giving an order for the execution of a baby, a newborn.

The clan, though many in number and wealthy to a fault, did not produce many high-level shinobi. He, nor the village, would not be in much danger of them if he disregarded their demand. They wouldn’t dare hire ninja from another village to attack anyway. It would give them a bad reputation in their social circles. And they did so care about their reputation.

His fingers flicked at the shinobi who stood behind him.

“Yes, Hokage-sama?” He asked.

“Put a higher rank on the Nakagawa child’s kidnapping,” He said without looking at the man. “I want that baby found.”

“Affirmative, Hokage-sama.” He said, and was gone.

Ageing hands folded in front of his face as Hiruzen stared out the window overlooking his village. He would ignore the Tentai clan’s warnings about the girl. For now.


	2. Over the Clouds and Past the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six years have passed, leaving the Third Shinobi War in its wake. The Tentai clan is summoned to explain exactly what they have been keeping from the Hokage all these years.

_“Blood…”_ She thought, absently as her tiny fingers picked at her newly shortened fingernails. _“I smell blood.”_

However, that was a common occurrence for her. The metallic, sweet scent of blood and death permeated her tiny cell and any place she was allowed to go. This smell was different though; it was the blood of those long dead and those who had perished recently.

The bloody odors she was used to were old and dry, stale even. Often not human. The people in white coats often made her attend the sacrificial rites in the holy places. They said she needed to observe the rituals so she could better serve their mother, their goddess. All she could remember about the ceremonies were the screams of the animals. And their blood.

Now the scent of _human_ blood and death was filling her nostrils. It made her mouth _water._

“Azazel.” She whispered.

 _“Yes…?”_ A voice purred.

“Please stop.” She commanded, softly but with authority.

 _“But I smell blood, and death…”_ The voice was now sorrowful.

“So do I,” she argued. “And I don’t like it. So, stop trying to make me.”

 _“Fine.”_ It rumbled and left her be.

It was not often that she smelled this. Only when the people in white coats had _other_ experiments to conduct. Some she was a part of, many she was left in her cell for with only the company of her voices.

“Well, what do we have here?” Came a sensual voice from her cell door.

“I thought I asked you to leave me alone, Azazel.” She hissed, looking up toward the bars.

But it was not the corporal form of her voice-friend there. It couldn’t have been anyway; she was too weak to summon him fully. Or for him to summon himself to her side.

From her corner in the dark cell she could see yellow eyes staring at her through the bars on the small window the door had. Those familiar, evil eyes.

“Hello little one,” Orochimaru purred.

* * *

Since the kidnapping of the Nakagawa child six years ago, Sarutobi Hiruzen had gotten little sleep. Nearly a year after she had been taken Konohagakure had joined the Third Shinobi War, which lasted far too long and cost too much in the Sandaime’s opinion. The Leaf’s involvement in the war had placed the Nakagawa kidnapping case to a much lower grade of importance. That, and the fact that there were no leads caused Hiruzen – as well as many others - to believe the child would never be found.

However, after the treaties had been signed, and the fighting nin returned to their homelands, the ninja of Konohagakure had learned of Orochimaru’s disgusting human experiments. Once he had gathered enough information, Hiruzen assembled a team and set about stopping him; but, the attempt to take Orochimzaru into custody – or kill him – was unsuccessful due to Hiruzen’s paternal feelings towards his former student.

What belied the failure of the Sandaime’s objective however, was that he had been able to confiscate almost everything in the lab, including a stack of notes which detailed a strange cult and the experiments it undertook. From the notes, Hiruzen was able to discern that Orochimaru funded, and assisted in the cult’s experimentation.

The most shocking detail of all was that Orochimaru’s notes mentioned a young girl who was born of the two Tentai families. This child was the main focus of the cult’s experiments – having lost many test subjects over the years – and Orochimaru’s interest. Apparently, the cult had not had access to what they called a “pure descendant” in nearly three decades.

These “pure descendants” were detailed in Orochimaru’s notes as children of both families who possessed the elusive bloodline trait, the clan’s kekkei genkai. It seemed to Hiruzen as if this new subject of Orochimaru’s could be the Nakagawa child they were searching for. As soon as he was sure these notes would be useful, Hiruzen entrusted them to the newly appointed Yondaime, Namikaze Minato.

Despite all of the information the notes gave the new Hokage and the scores of shinobi searching for the girl, it lacked the location of the cult’s laboratory. Not even a hint of its whereabouts was mentioned in any of Orochimaru’s extensive collections of notes and books.

Tsubaki and Isamu were beginning to give up hope on ever finding their missing child, and so were the shinobi of the Leaf. That was, until a young ninja had overheard people from the outer Tentai family branches discussing a strange cult, which had been rumored to have resurfaced.

This boy had rushed to Minato to inform him of this new information. The Yondaime responded by immediately calling a meeting between the Tentai family heads and the Sandaime, who knew more about the situation than he.

“What is the meaning of this, Hokage-sama?” Nakagawa Akihiko demanded. “Why have we been dragged from our homes in the middle of the night?”

Hiruzen observed the man whom he had dealt with many times over the years. While time had surely aged him, Akihiko was still undeniably a beautiful man. He wore his light-colored hair long and pulled back from his slim, aristocratic face. His eyes were a bright green and framed with translucent, blond lashes and brows. The head Nakagawa branch tended to wear light colors such as white, and tonight was no exception. Akihiko’s yukata was of the brightest white, and finest silk, money could buy and it only accentuated his pale beauty.

“Yes, Hokage-sama, why have we been graced with this indignity?” Kurokawa Hanzou barked.

The other Tentai clan leader could only be described as dark. Hanzou also wore his hair long, but it seemed to be untamable. Where his familial counterpart was pale and slim, Hanzou was deeply tanned and muscular. His face was strong and ruggedly handsome. Again, though he had also aged, his face was only marred by the scowl he permanently affixed to his face. His dark eyes were even stormier at the prospect of losing a good night’s sleep and his black linen pants and shirt were rumpled as if he truly had been dragged from his bed.

Hiruzen smirked at the idea.

“It has come to my attention that your clan may have information regarding your granddaughter’s kidnapping.” The current Hokage, Namikaze Minato, said ignoring the annoyance of the two men before him.

Akihiko merely sighed while Hanzou scoffed indignantly.

“Why would _we_ have information regarding that… abomination?” Akihiko inquired irritably, waving a long-fingered hand with a dismissive air.

“And why would it be so important that we would be dragged here, away from the comfort of our wives and beds?” Hanzou growled.

“It would be important if the information being withheld connects you to an S-class rogue ninja, and one of the three Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru.” Minato replied, leaning forward. “Then you would be committing treason by keeping this information to yourselves.”

“Not to mention,” Hiruzen began. “The illicit and cruel acts being inflicted on innocent human lives. Surely that information would be considered important, and not to mention concerning, to Konoha.”

The family heads turned to look at one another, apparently trying to decide if it would be worth divulging anything.

“If you are talking about the Ōtsutsuki cult,” Akihiko said hesitantly. “We know of it. As for Orochimaru’s involvement, we have no knowledge.”

“We assumed the cult was wiped out anyway.” Hanzou grunted, crossing his massive arms over his chest.

“But you know of it?” Minato probed, sapphire eyes flashing.

“Of course,” Akihiko sneered. “Our families founded it.”

That was a shock to the new and old Hokage. The Tentai clan had founded this mysterious cult? For what purpose? And why had they never heard of it?

Hiruzen asked as much.

“Because it was a blight upon our family name,” Akihiko cried. “Our ancestors sealed all the records when it seemed as if the cult had wiped itself out, hoping none of our remaining clan members would take interest!”

“So, you couldn’t let such an embarrassing tale stain your reputations? Is that correct?” Minato asked, his scathing tone did not go unnoticed by the others.

Hanzou jerked his chin upward, indicating their answer.

“But that does not answer our other questions,” Hiruzen interjected, taking a long puff of his pipe. “What is the purpose of this clan? And why does it exist?”

Hanzou heaved a sigh and leaned forward onto his knees before answering.

“The stories of our clans’ creation spanned back centuries. When our clan was founded it was believed that the goddess Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had created them for the sole purpose of her protection and worship. Thus, the cult was born and our ancestors dedicated their lives to Princess Kaguya’s service. Over the years it was found that our clan possessed a kekkei genkai, but only if a child was born to a Nakagawa and a Kurokawa.”

“Speak no further Hanzou,” Akihiko commanded stiffly.

Minato held up a hand.

“His Hokage is demanding he speak,” he said.

Akihiko went silent but displeasure colored his otherwise pale face.

“Continue, Kurokawa-san.” Minato commanded softly.

“As I said, it seemed as if our clan could only procure the kekkei genkai by producing offspring between the two families. They were revered as Kaguya’s pure descendants by the cult. But the children became unstable, monstrous even. Their bloodlust and power were too much to handle…” Hanzou shuddered before continuing.

“Those in the clan who were unhappy with the cultists rule and practices revolted and killed the children and cult members. The survivors created the bans upon marriage and sexual relationships between the two families.”

“That obviously has not stopped many,” Hiruzen commented, thinking of a handful of couples who had ignored the current clan stances on such unions and the very normal children they had produced.

“It became apparent,” Akihiko hissed. “That the kekkei genkai was not inherited by each ‘pure descendent’.”

“A child would have to accept a mysterious power into themselves in order to activate the trait.” Hanzou concurred. “What it was, we have never discerned. It was lost to our knowledge.”

“For good reason.” Akihiko stated.

“So why did you come to me and demand Leaf shinobi destroy your grandchild?” The Sandaime demanded irritably.

“Do you remember Kurokawa Nozomi?” Akihiko asked, his eyes refusing to meet the other man’s

Hiruzen nodded, nearly shuddering at the carnage that name conjured up.

“She was a ‘pure descendent,” Hanzou continued for his fellow clan leader. “One that possessed the kekkei genkai.”

“How could this be?” Minato asked in astonishment, also remembering the demonic nature of the woman. “I thought you said it could only be obtained through unknown means?”

“The head families have the purest bloodlines.” Akihiko said simply.

The Sandaime and Yondaime caught each other’s eyes discreetly. Kurokawa Nozomi was the daughter of a chunin rank ninja. She had no named father and her mother was not from the head family branches.

“So, you’re saying that you are Nozomi-san’s father Kurokawa-san?” Minato questioned.

“Absolutely not!” Hanzou declared, laughing. “That would be my errant brother here!”

He slapped Akihiko on the back, doubling over from laughter. Akihiko looked mortified; two spots of color high on his cheekbones. Hanzou was obviously enjoying the Nakagawa family head’s discomfort.

“The child has to be a product of the union between _both_ families,” Hanzou said, still laughing, and wiped tears from his eyes.

“I see,” Minato folded his hands and leaned them against the top of his desk. “So, you broke your own clan’s taboo and fathered an illegitimate ‘pure descendent’.”

“Yes.” Akihiko admitted through gritted teeth.

“And somehow she figured out how to use the ‘mysterious power’ you mentioned and activated her kekkei genkai? Without the hidden knowledge your families sealed away?” The Hokage asked, though it was more of a statement. “You believe it is due to her inheriting the head family’s genes.”

Akihiko nodded, appearing too humiliated and angry for words.

“This is the reason you demanded we kill your granddaughter.” Hiruzen stated, locking eyes with the arrogant family head.

“Not only that,” Hanzou interrupted, sobering his mood. “There was a prophecy which talked of a child matching the… _her_ description.”

“A prophecy?” Minato scoffed.

“Spare us you patronizing tone, Hokage-sama.” Akihiko spat. “It was in a sealed scroll we uncovered shortly after our children married, the imbeciles. It spoke of a child with untold strength who could bring about the world’s destruction.”

“And you think this is your grandchild?” Hiruzen demanded incredulously.

“We do not think. We know.” Akihiko stated with eyes downcast. The very picture of defeat.

“The child was to be born in a time of great tragedy to both of the children of Kaguya…” Hiruzen divulged, his graveness returned in full. “They are foretold to protect and serve the Princess, ultimately bringing about the destruction of all humankind and the earth as we know it.”

“You’ll forgive me if I do not take the prophecy of a radical cult too seriously.” Minato said, standing from behind his desk.

“Even so Hokage-sama, the child is dangerous.” Akihiko insisted.

“Do you have any further information on the cult?” Hiruzen asked, wearily. “Its whereabouts perhaps?”

“Over the clouds and past the moon,” Hanzou glared at the Sandaime. “That is all we know.”

“Then that will be all. Thank you for your cooperation,” Minato said with an air of finality, gesturing for the tiresome men to leave.

“What do you make of this, Hokage-sama?” Hiruzen inquired when they had left.

Minato, too tired to berate Hiruzen on his use of the formality, merely shrugged. He then waved to the shinobi who had brought him the information in the first place.

“Yes, Minato-sensei?” He answered.

“Kakashi, I want you to assemble an ANBU squad that can leave at a moment’s notice.” He said, smiling fondly at the boy. “If this situation is as dire as the Tentai clan believes, then we need to find the child.”

“Yes, Sensei.” Kakashi replied and shunshined from the office.

The Sandaime and Yondaime stared at each other in heavy silence until the early hours of the morning, earning them both a scolding from their wives when they returned to their homes.

* * *

_“So hungry…”_ She thought as she stared longingly at the food before her, too afraid to touch it.

Orochimaru had been there for many of the painful trials and experiments the people in white coats had performed on her. She did not trust him. But she was _so hungry!_

Her stomach growled and Orochimaru laughed.

“Go on child,” he purred. “Eat your fill. I know you must be starving.”

Gingerly, she plucked a cold steamed bun from the basket Orochimaru had presented her with when he entered her cell, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.

The first bite was like heaven. The second was ecstasy. The third and fourth she did not remember tasting as she shoved the rest into her mouth as fast as she could, fearing it would be taken from her. Orochimaru laughed again.

“Have another.” He encouraged.

So, she did. And another, and another, and another until Orochimaru’s snake like hand struck out and grasped her wrist. Fear flooded through her, but she felt no malice from the man.

“If you eat too quickly in your state you will not keep it down,” he said, handing her a small skin of water.

“Drink. Slowly.” He commanded.

She did, but only in small sips, as he instructed her. When she finished, she set the skin next to the small basket and looked back up at the snake-like man standing above her. He reminded her of Azazel, but meaner looking.

“You laugh when they hurt me.” She stated.

Orochimaru’s slightly unhinged laughter bounced off the walls of the cell. He had to lean against the wall for support he was laughing so hard.

“Yes, I do, child.” He replied when he was able.

“Why?” She asked.

“Pain is interesting,” Orochimaru’s yellow eyes flicked over her small frame. “The human body is so… _fragile_. Yet so strong. I find it amusing to see it pushed to its very limits.”

“Even though I’m little?”

“Yes,” he laughed again. “Even though you’re little.”

“Israfil says that’s mean.”

As he leaned down to her level, she could see Orochimaru’s brow had furrowed in confusion and interest.

“And who is Israfil, little one?” He asked.

“Sometimes she is Raphael, sometimes she is Israfil,” she explained, gazing into his eyes without fear. “She’s my friend. She tries to protect me and heal me when they hurt me.”

“I see,” Orochimaru said. “She is sometimes the one the doctors call Raphael.”

“Yep.” She confirmed.

“Does the other one have another name?”

“If he does, he hasn’t told it to me.”

“Interesting…”

Long fingers tapped against Orochimaru’s chin as he ‘hmmed’ in response to her statement.

 _“This child is certainly interesting…”_ He thought. _“She seems to have bonded well with her spirits.”_

She saw his eyes follow her movements as she swiped several more buns from the basket and inhaled them. A snake-like grin curled at the corners of Orochimaru’s mouth.

_“Perhaps it is time to see what this child can really do.”_

“Listen child,” he insisted as she gulped down more food. “How would you like me to help you get stronger?”

Her nose scrunched and she shook her head at him.

“Israfil doesn’t like you.” She stated.

“What about the other one?” Orochimaru questioned, near to laughter again. If it were anyone else speaking to him that way, they would be dead in seconds.

“Azazel says you smell like blood,” she shrugged. “He likes blood.”

“That is good, I suppose?”

She shrugged again, watching him as she picked up the water skin and took another swallow, this time drinking deeply. The water trickled from the corners from her mouth, leaving tracks in the grime on her face.

“The people in white coats smell like blood too,” she placed the skin back down and wiped her mouth, smearing the dirt there. “He doesn’t like them.”

“Ah,” Orochimaru uttered, chuckling.

She watched him for a few moments before speaking again.

“Why are you here?” Her eyes were wide and suspicious.

“I think you’re interesting.”

“Why?”

Orochimaru thought for a moment. “You’re resilient. And lethal.”

“Le-thal…” She repeated.

“Yes, little one, it means dangerous.” He said.

“Oh.” She replied.

She didn’t like the smell of him. _He_ was dangerous. He smelled like it. And Israfil said he was bad. She was _always_ right. Even Azazel didn’t really like him, but she thought it was only because he worked with the people who hurt her. No, she did not want his help to become stronger. He didn’t scare her, but she didn’t like him either.

“If you don’t want my help, then you need not accept it.” Orochimaru assured her, gathering his basket and water skin. “However, I will have someone come and feed you more. You’ll take some medicine that will make you feel better and you will be allowed baths and fresh air. How does that sound?”

She did not think those things would be bad. There was a tiny voice in the back of her head – perhaps it was Israfil – warning her to be careful. She would be though; she did not trust Orochimaru.

She nodded.

“Good,” he purred. “Make sure, when you’re healthy and strong, to obliterate every last one of these cretins.”

Once Orochimaru had swept from the room and the lock clicked into place, she lay down on her small cot and stared up at the dark ceiling.

“What does cretin mean?” She wondered aloud, picking her fingernails again.

* * *

Among the shadows in the corridor emerged a young man. Orochimaru beckoned him over with a wave of his hand and a snake’s smile.

“Yes, Orochimaru-sama?” He asked.

“I want you to sneak the child extra food and water.” Orochimaru commanded. “And make sure she is cleaned properly and taken out for air.”

“As you wish, my Lord.” He answered obediently as he began to meld into the shadows again.

But Orochimaru held up a hand to stop him.

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Before you leave this place, take measures that nothing is traced back to us. I want the Leaf to find this place, but not me. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

As Orochimaru turned to leave he said: “Make sure you are far from here when she awakens. We wouldn’t want you getting caught up in all of that… _mess._ ”

“Of course, Orochimaru-sama.” He replied and disappeared.

A grin affixing itself upon his face, Orochimaru took his leave from the compound, ardently awaiting the carnage that would take place in only a short amount of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Akihiko and Hanzou are not brothers, at all. They are brother/sister clans, which is why Hanzou referred to Akihiko this way. The main families are not closely related at all, though they can trace their roots back to the first Nakagawa and Kurokawa who were created. I just wanted to clarify that there was no incest going on lmao...
> 
> Also, I pushed Orochimaru's defection around to fit my needs. That's the joys of fanfiction and Kishimoto's weird timelines, creative liberties can be taken.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for the kudos, comments, bookmarks, and subscriptions! I'm really excited for you all to read this story.


	3. Don't Look Down There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi and his ANBU squad set out to rescue the missing Nakagawa child and are horrified by what they find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I know I take forever to post things, but here's a huge update to make up for it. <3

_“Over the clouds and past the moon…”_ Minato turned the phrase over and over in his mind, but could not come up with a location that matched such a description.

The Yondaime had sent countless squads to varying locations which even slightly resembled the description Kurokawa Hanzou had given them, only for them to come up empty handed. He was growing increasingly frustrated. It seemed that for every breakthrough they made with this mission, something always ended up barring them from their goal.

A knock on his office door jarred him from his thoughts.

“Enter,” he called, straitening in his chair.

Hatake Kakashi hurried into the room, something that surprised Minato. Kakashi only hurried when he had something important to share, or somewhere important to be.

“Minato-sensei,” he began. “We’ve received information on the location of the Ōtsutsuki cultists’ compound.”

“Excellent Kakashi, what have you learned?” Minato inquired with eagerness.

“That nonsense of Kurokawa-san’s wasn’t so nonsensical after all,” Kakashi said, his gray eye hardening slightly. “The cult worships the rabbit goddess – Ōtsutsuki Kaguya – who is claimed to come from the moon, are you following?”

“Yes,” Minato answered, though he was unsure of where Kakashi was heading with the information.

“It is where the rabbit in the moon tale originates from.” Kakashi explained impatiently, sensing Minato’s confusion.

“I know that, Kakashi,” the Yondaime chuckled. “I’m trying to understand where you’re going with this.”

Sighing, Kakashi handed placed a heavily decorated scroll on Minato’s already cluttered desk.

“Well, this scroll, which I obtained through perfectly moral means by the way,” Kakashi explained, “Is supposed to tell of a place where the earth can touch the sky, reaching farther than even the moon. Supposedly, it is where the goddess first touched the earth.”

“That sounds rather fantastic doesn’t it?” Minato asked, brow furrowing as he picked up the scroll.

“I thought so too at first,” Kakashi clarified. “But there is a mountain in this region which matches the description Kurokawa Hanzou gave you.”

Now that was something to go on. Even if this mountain was not the place Hanzou was speaking of, it was worth checking out. However, this fact puzzled Minato.

“Why have we not dispatched a team to this location yet?” He asked.

“Well…” Kakashi hesitated.

With an affectionate roll of his eyes, Minato gestured for Kakashi to continue.

“Well, Minato-sensei, it has never been climbed before,” Kakashi shrugged, as if to convey his own disbelief. “At least that’s what I have been told.”

“Then how is there supposed to be a compound atop it?” Minato asked, incredulous.

“Perhaps a genjutsu?” Kakashi suggested. “The Tentai shinobi, while typically not very strong, are talented genjutsu users.”

Minato nodded his agreement, crossing his arms. Genjutsu – as well as meticulously placed traps – would keep the place virtually unclimbable. It was a simple, yet effective way to keep unsuspecting travelers and ninja alike from stumbling onto the place while exploring. Though, it was hardly likely that anyone would go to such a place without a reason.

“How did you hear of this place?” Minato asked.

“I had people, and my ninken, out feeling for information,” Kakashi clarified. “Some came back with similar descriptions of a scroll in the Tentai compound’s archives. So, I went and asked if I could borrow it for you.”

“For me?” Minato questioned, blinking rapidly.

Kakashi nodded and shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the Yondaime’s surprise at his actions.

Laughter burst from Minato’s lips before he could stop it. Nearly doubled over in his chair, he had to hang onto his desk to keep from falling he was laughing so hard.

“And,” Kakashi spoke over his sensei’s laughter. “I myself heard rumors of this mountain. I decided after investigating the scroll it would be a good idea to bring the information to you and see where to go from there.”

“Well, Kakashi,” Minato grinned, now over his fit. “This is excellent information, not to mention a promising lead. I want you and your ANBU team to investigate this personally.”

“Yes, Minato-sensei,” Kakashi saluted, and turned to leave.

“Wait!” The Hokage called, standing from behind his desk.

“Minato-sensei?” The young Copy-nin questioned, facing the Hokage once again.

Minato walked around his desk to stand in front of Kakashi and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders.

“Kakashi,” the Yondaime began. “I want you to be extremely cautious on this mission.”

“Sensei I–” Kakashi started but was interrupted when Minato shook him lightly.

“No Kakashi,” His bright blue eyes were grave. “This area may be dangerous; we’ve never sent anyone to explore it. And Orochimaru may be involved. You _must_ be cautious on this mission. It could cost the lives of your team and the child.”

Reaching up, Kakashi gipped his sensei’s forearm and grinned through his mask.

“I promise Sensei,” he swore. “We will be careful. And we _will_ bring the girl home.”

A sigh escaped Minato as he observed his only remaining student. Then he smiled. Kakashi’s determination was admirable.

“I guess that is all I can ask for, as your Hokage.” He said.

The boy nodded and, in a flash, he was gone, leaving his sensei alone in his office.

* * *

Orochimaru had not deceived her; the man who came to feed her every day snuck her extra portions and more water than she was formerly allowed. When he gave her medicine, he always explained what it was and how it would help her. Though she was restrained during bathing time, she was now always clean and the woman who bathed her never harmed her. And the best of all, she was allowed outside.

She, of course, had restraints on the whole time – like bath time – but she could feel the sun on her face and the cold wind on her skin. She often would sit on the ground and watch as the frozen earth and snow thawed under her warmth. It fascinated her as much as it chilled her.

Over the course of several weeks, she had begun to fill out; her cheeks were less gaunt, limbs less boney, and her ribs hardly protruded at all. Irsafil, though distrustful of Orochimaru and his henchman, was pleased at her improvement. Azazel had mentioned that it was only a matter of time before the people in white coats caught on, but she did not care. She was no longer hungry or dirty. And she got to play outside.

However, today things felt different. She could feel something thrumming just underneath her skin; through her veins, begging to be released. She felt _strong_. She felt _hungry_. It was not like her regular hunger though. This feeling was not the same – it was deeper in the pit of her stomach.

Israfil and Azazel were unusually quiet, and she was irritable. The man who fed her was late and the thrumming under her skin was beginning to make her feel itchy.

She flexed her small fingers as she tried to resist scratching at her skin. She got in trouble the last time she did that. There was so much blood. Now the people in white coats made sure to keep her nails short. They didn’t want to lose another “descendent”. They stopped feeding her regularly after that too. She wasn’t sure why.

But now she was so _itchy!_ Her throat burned with frustrated screams she refused to release. Why had the man who fed her not come yet? She was _hungry_. She wanted _food!_ Where was he? Where was he? Where was he, where was he, _wherewashewherewashewherewashewherewherewherewhere?_

She was so _itchy_ …

* * *

Kakashi and his team had been climbing the mountain – which they called the Ōtsutsuki mountain – for several days and he felt like they were no closer to reaching the compound than when they started. The first day was rather uneventful, they climbed until it was impossible to sense where they were going in the dense, dark foliage on the mountain.

The second day, however, they began to notice signs of traps. Everything from small rabbit traps to elaborate ones which could capture fully-grown adults. Some of them even has scraps of decaying flesh and bone fragments left behind. Kakashi shuddered to think of what had become of these creatures and, possibly, people.

This concerned him and all his sense were on high alert, searching for the next trap, or for someone to attempt to ambush his group. By the time night fell, the ANBU squad was coming upon an expanse of land where the ground began to turn to ice and snow. Puffs of air could be seen coming through the animal masks of his teammates, though he knew they would never let him see them shiver.

On the third day they came across three genjutsu, each more powerful than the last; though, Kakashi and his team made quick work of them. Despite their deftness in releasing the genjutsu, they found night coming upon them faster than they expected.

Instead of stopping, Kakashi made the executive decision to press on, despite the darkness. And his choice was sound, because almost as soon as his squad began to slow down, they broke through the expanse of trees and shrubbery onto a rocky slope, the moon shining full and bright in the sky above them. Its pale, white light glittered over the ice and snow dangerously. This time, the ANBU in the cat mask shivered. But no one could fault them; the whole team felt the sense of doom that enveloped this mountain.

The fourth day came and went, suspiciously without incident. No traps that they came across, nor any genjustsu. The ANBU in the fox mask suggested there were no signs of life because they had either passed the compound, or because they were simply in another direction.

Kakashi did not find that plausible though. No, it would be in the Ōtsutsuki cult’s best interest to cover as much of the mountain in genjustu and traps as possible. They either needed the animals – and people – they caught for rituals, or they wanted to deter as many living beings from happening upon their compound as they could.

 _“Though,”_ Kakashi surmised, _“The two may not be mutually exclusive.”_ And kept a close watch on the steps of his squad, as well as his own.

Now, though, the full moon began to rise, and darkness fell. It had been five days of climbing the miserable mountain and the wind had picked up to unbearable speeds. The snow fell so heavily their tracks were covered in the matter of seconds it took them to make new ones.

It quickly became apparent they would need to seek shelter, so Kakashi summoned as much of his strength he had left and trudged up the frozen mountain in search of a small cave, or outcropping, or fallen trees. Anything that could be used as a temporary shelter. Despite their weary bodies and tired minds, Kakashi and his squad stumbled upon a small, inviting-looking cave nestled in a small outcropping.

In their haste to reach shelter, the squad rushed toward the cave, thoughts of a dry, safe place to rest filling their minds; however, as soon as they set foot into the cave a sudden and intense darkness fell over them. Kakashi with his sensitive hearing, far greater than his ANBU teammates, could no longer hear the wind howling outside.

“This feels off,” he said, taking a few steps backwards toward the mouth of the cave. The others followed in quick pursuit, feeling the same unease that had fallen on their leader. But the entrance could no longer be found. Their hands, expecting to feel the cold, biting wind outside, met only with unyielding stone. Trying to release a genjutsu had no affect either.

“What do we do, Captain?” Mouse addressed Kakashi.

Though his teammates could not see him, he merely shook his head. There was no telling what kind of trap awaited them the further they traveled into the cave, but they could not get out. Only years of training and hardships kept the ANBU from panicking in this situation. They moved forward into the blackness.

* * *

The thrumming beneath her skin had gotten stronger. She could now feel something pulsing. Something that was not her tiny heart pumping the ruby red blood through her veins. It was something much more sinister, but she did not care. It only made her hungry and itchy.

When the man who fed her had shown up late that day, she had leapt onto him, sinking her teeth into his shoulder. She expected his warm, _wet_ , red blood to come spilling out into her mouth, hoping to sate her hunger, but he only disappeared. She landed on her bottom on the floor of her cell.

A chuckled came from behind her, and it was him. He was holding a tray laden with food of all kinds.

“So, I was late one time and you thought you’d drink me dry, eh?” He asked, stepping closer and setting the tray down in front of her.

Were she not ravenous, were she not on edge from the thrumming under her skin, she would have felt something akin to shame for attacking him. Though, she knew he was only treating her well because Orochimaru ordered him to. 

But this time she ignored him. She fell upon the tray of food with ravenous ecstasy, barely paying attention to the prick of the needle when the man injected her with her daily vitamins.

Before he turned to leave, she had nearly finished the tray, twice the amount a grown man would have eaten. He smirked. Lord Orocimaru’s plan was going swimmingly. Keeping her healthy was the only thing he needed to do in order for the girl’s power to awaken.

 _“Soon,”_ he’d thought. _“Soon I’ll leave here.”_

Now, she lay on the floor of her cell, the pulsing drumming in her ears, her head, her heart. It made her nauseous. She had already vomited twice, but no one came to clean it up. The smell was yucky. It made her want to vomit more, even though she was, still, very hungry.

Azazel and Israfil were very loud too. Azazel wanted blood and Israfil was worried. Nothing she did would make them quiet. She even screamed and cried until her voice went hoarse. _That_ brought somebody to her cell, but they dared not set foot into it while she was “volatile”. They said they would come back when she was “stable”. She did not understand what that meant.

So, she lay on the ground, trying to ignore the thrumming – the pulsing, the yucky smell, and her friends. Soon, however, the pulsing quieted and her friends quieted. The smell was still there, and the hunger was still there, but she found she didn’t mind it so much. She stood up and walked to the door, banging on it.

No answer.

She was not surprised. Since nobody came to the door, she pushed on it. And pushed again. And pushed, and pushed, and _pushed_ until it dented with small handprints. Then she began to hit the door, to punch it, and when her tiny fist broke through, she could see the hallway the people in white coats always led her down. It was the same hallway they used to take her to bath-time and outside and to see them kill the animals and to do experiments.

It was one hallway, but it led lots of places. She assumed that was how most hallways worked, but she wasn’t sure. She had only lived on this one. It was very long, but if she could only get out… She knew the ways. She always remembered them. She remembered everything.

She especially remembered the blood. Remembered why they kept her nails short. Remembered the itchy thrumming under her skin. Remembered the pulsing, the power, the _strength_.

She could smell it now. It was not animal blood this time. And it did not come from Orochimaru. It did not come from the hallway. It did not come from the far-away places they killed the animals in. It was behind her. And she knew him. He had come.

With a small smile, she turned and held out her hand.

“Come, Azazel,” She said, and the shadow took her tiny hand in its own. “It is time to eat.”

The lock on the door to her tiny cell clicked and the door slowly opened on its own, freeing her, and her shadow. Unleashing them. There would be blood this night.

* * *

If Kakashi’s ANBU team had been any less experienced, they would have been driven insane by the never-ending darkness of the cave – or whatever it was – that they were trapped in. He was grateful they were able to keep their cool in such a situation. He had discovered quickly that this cave was a trap of some sort.

Tentai shinobi were talented genjutsu users, but that was about it typically. They often produced even heavily inept nin and for that reason, many stayed civilian citizens. These cultists, however, were a completely different breed. The trap Kakashi and his team were in right now was not a genjutsu. It had to be an earth release technique; no known Tentai shinobi could produce such a jutsu.

As they proceeded further into the cavern the smell of humans became increasingly apparent to Kakashi’s trained nose. He was sure his team would be unable to smell or sense them, as he himself could not do the latter. Carefully, so as not to alert the shinobi obviously laying in wait for them, Kakashi scraped his sandal against the rocky ground to signal his team.

As ANBU they were trained not to make a sound, and his teammates would know that. The other nin, on the other hand, would not know who they had trapped, and a small scuff of a shoe would be of no consequence to them. The squad gathered around him quietly as he explained in whispers what he knew.

“There are at least four shinobi waiting for us somewhere in this cave,” he said, sniffing the air to discern between the scents of the unknown enemy. “I can smell them but cannot sense their chakra. We must continue to proceed with caution. Don’t let yourselves be taken off guard.”

Even in the dark, Kakashi could tell his squad mates nodded their heads at his words. He led them, being their squad captain, and the only one who could detect their enemy for the moment. Mouse followed behind him, then Cat, Fox, and Salamander. Each listened for any sound that could indicate the position of the hiding shinobi.

They did not have to wait long. Within a matter of minutes, the group was ambushed. Thinking they had the element of surprise on their side, the cultists struck out quickly, uncaring if they made any noise. This was a mistake as the ANBU now knew exactly where they were and were able to deflect the attacks.

Kakashi had been right, there were only four cultist shinobi in the cave with them, and they did not appear to be much of a challenge. They vastly underestimated who was entrapped in their jutsu. The ANBU made quick work of the nin, whose strengths were obviously in deflection and evasive maneuvers rather than offensive combat.

Though he could not see, Kakashi had one of the Ōtsutsuki cultists cornered. The smell of damp earth and vegetation wafted off him in waves to Kakashi’s sensitive nose. This was the one who was using the earth release jutsu.

Stalking toward the man, Kakashi drew a kunai from his pouch and threw it. He could hear the air singing along the blade until it found its mark, a hairsbreadth from the cultist’s head.

The smell of urine permeated the stale cave air. Kakashi smirked to himself under his masks; the shinobi had wet himself.

“Captain,” Fox called in the dark. “We have dispatched three of them. Do you have the one with the earth release jutsu?”

“I’ve got them.” Kakashi replied, taking another step toward the man.

If he were to admit it, which he would not, Kakashi was enjoying the fear he was inflicting upon him.

Chidori crackled up his arm as he closed the distance between them, the heady scent of ozone masking the smell of piss coming from the cultist. The light from Kakashi’s chakra lit up the dark cave, illuminating the terrified shinobi and the ivory masks of the ANBU. The sound of thousands of birds chirping filled the space.

Centimeters from the man’s heart Kakashi allowed Chidori to hover while he said, calmly: “Lead us out of here and I may let you live, unlike your teammates.”

The terrified shinobi nodded his head vigorously and looked down toward Kakashi’s outstretched arm.

“If you lead us astray,” Kakashi warned, allowing Chidori to touch the man’s flak jacket, singing the fabric. “Your guts will be on the ground before you have the chance to flee.”

* * *

The moon was high and full in the night sky as she and her shadow crossed the glittering untouched snow. Ruby red liquid dripped from her chin and fingertips, leaving gory, blackened stains on the white snow. A satisfied smile affixed itself upon her small, reddened mouth. The building behind her had been emptied. The smell of blood was in the air now, but it was not alive. She could tell.

Azazel was nearly purring with contentment at his full belly, but he wanted more, and so did she. Orochimaru’s words flickered back into her bloodlust hazed mind: _“Make sure, when you’re healthy and strong, to obliterate every last one of these cretins.”_

Though she still did not know what “cretins” meant, she understood obliterate just fine. Azazel told her what it was. She had to destroy them. Not because Orochimaru told her to, but because they hurt her. They starved her. Made her sleep in a tiny, dirty cell with a thick metal door. They made her do yucky, awful things and take yucky, awful medicines that made her sick.

And worst of all, they tried to make her serve the scary, mean mother that wanted all the blood for herself. She did not like to give the mother, the goddess, blood. Not hers, not animals’, not any. She did not want the mother to be strong. The mother was mean. Israfil said so. Azazel said so. They did not like the mother, so she did not either. If the mother got strong again, that would be a bad thing because Israfil and Azazel would be sad.

So, she hunted.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, the cultist kept to his part of the agreement and lead them carefully and quietly through the cave. Though, Kakashi supposed, it was easy to keep your word while you had a knife pressed to your back. When they reached a dead end in the cave, the nin quickly released his jutsu, opening the cave exit, which allowed the bright light of the full moon to shine in.

It was not really a cave, just a long tunnel, which reached through a part of the mountain into what resembled a volcanic crater. From there the ANBU squad were able look down from their vantage point to see the large and expansive facility the Ōtsutsuki cult occupied.

There were sizable buildings – which reminded Kakashi of hospitals or laboratories – as well as smaller, dormitory-style structures. From what he could see, there were also several religious shrines scattered around – seemingly strategically – and a small place of worship, identified by its highly decorative appearance, in the center of the remarkably large compound.

Something seemed off, though. Kakashi did not expect to see hordes of people bustling about, but he did think he would at least see a few here and there, perhaps performing gory sacrifices or strange rituals. It was quiet though… too quiet. And he thought he saw…

The shinobi they held hostage gave a gasp of horror and began to run from the group, down the small road leading to the compound. But before he could get too far Fox flung a knife from their pouch, striking the man in the spinal column with deadly accuracy. He wordlessly fell to the ground, in a crumpled heap.

Kakashi, who had warned him that any rash actions would cause his demise, walked to him calmly and knelt beside him to make sure he was dead. Though Fox’s aim was true, the man had not perished instantly and was still clutching to life with shuddering breaths.

“Sh-she’s escaped…” He said, his lungs heaving the familiar rattle of a dying man.

“Who?” Kakashi asked roughly, uncaring of the shinobi’s imminent demise.

“The Mother’s chosen one…” He gasped, reaching forward in the snow, clawing at it, as he tried to pull himself forward. His blood ran heavily into the snow, steaming in the frigid air.

“Fox,” Kakashi commanded, straitening up. “Finish here, then catch up with us.”

“Wait!” The cultist groaned. “You mustn’t… Its holy ground!”

Fox nodded, ignoring the nin, and there was a metallic flash and a wet gurgling cry as the squad turned from their teammate and ran toward the compound. Fox joined them when they were halfway down the road. That was when they heard the screaming.

Without a word to his squad Kakashi sped up, running past eerily quiet shrines and dormitories, as he tried to locate the source of the cries. If he were not in such a hurry to find his quarry, Kakashi would have stopped to inspect the bloody, desecrated shrines and eerily quite dorms. But in his haste, he flew by them, barely leaving a footprint in the blood-blackened snow.

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi was in the center of the crater, where the Ōtsutsuki cult’s holy place stood slightly to the side of the full moon. Beneath his masks, Kakashi smirked as he remembered the clue. Over the clouds and past the moon indeed.

The screaming had quieted, and silence was on the wind. Blood, metallic and tangy, wafted all around Kakashi, permeating his senses and making him sick. It was nearly as bad as the smell at the bridge… No. Kakashi shook his head. He needed to stay focused.

He made his way up the building’s steps toward the ornate rounded door. It was painted to resemble the moon at its fullest, but now it was stained with small, bloody handprints. Kakashi did not want to think about what that meant for his objective.

Hesitantly, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, nearly tripping over something. No, _someone_. Or… what was left of them. Practically in disbelief, Kakashi recoiled from the body. Its face was caved in, blood leaking from its ears, gaping mouth, and eyeless sockets. The torso was missing… chunks. It was in such a bad state he could not discern a gender by merely looking at it. He supposed those missing pieces were what was smeared about the entryway.

Lip curling in disgust at the sight – and the smell – Kakashi moved through the room. It was a rounded building, he suspected to also reflect the full moon in design. The door he stepped through had opened into a hallway which seemed to stretch all the way around the building.

In front of Kakashi were another set of doors. They were also rounded, like the first pair, but showed a night sky and the many phases of the moon. A monstrous woman was depicted underneath the moons, holding long bones in each hand. Her eyes were light and pupil-less, resembling the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan, and she had a third, different eye centered in her forehead. The third eye looked similar to the one Obito had given to him as a last gift, but also not. Her long, pale hair and pale skin resembled the Nakagawa family leader, if only slightly.

What made the image worse was the same small, bloody handprints covered the door. Caked the drawing of the woman in already browning blood. It was ominous.

Instead of opening those doors, Kakashi decided to take a cursory glance about the hallway first, to see if there was anything to indicate what was going on. This did not prove to be fruitful, however. Other than a few small closets containing ritualistic items, robes, and one even containing animal bones there was nothing to go on. So back to the menacing door it was.

“Hey, Captain…” Mouse’s disturbed voice crackled over the communication device.

“Go ahead.” Kakashi said, wanting any excuse not to walk through that door. Maybe Mouse – or one of the others – had found the girl, but from her voice it did not sound like she had.

“There are…” A pregnant pause. “Have you seen anything… strange?”

“I think I’m in their main place of worship, I’m seeing plenty of strange things.”

He pointedly left off the part about the mangled corpse.

“Well…” Another pause. “We’re all seeing some… bodies, I guess you could call them. They’re all dead… and either appear to be drained of blood or leaking it from every orifice.”

“And let me guess, they are also torn to shreds?” Kakashi asked, looking over his shoulder at the body behind him.

“…Yes sir.”

“And have you found anyone alive?”

“No sir.”

Kakashi swore. They _needed_ to find the girl! Especially with whatever this cult was doing, what jutsu they were using… or was it a ritual? He could not figure it out. It did not matter much at the moment, though. Just that they could find the girl safe.

“If you find anything else, let me know.” He said.

“Roger that.” Mouse replied and cut out.

Staring at the door to the innermost room, Kakashi took a deep gulping breath. He may have been an ANBU squad leader, and a jonin, but he was still just a child. Younger than even his squadmates – though his henge and masks hid that fact – and he was afraid. He was afraid of what he would see beyond those doors which depicted a monster. But he had a mission to complete, and he _always_ completed his missions.

Shoving down his apprehension and fear, Kakashi stepped up to the doors. The woman – the goddess he supposed – was eye level with him now. Looking into those eyes, even though he had seen similar ones in others who lived and fought by him, even though they were merely a painting on a door, they filled him with dread.

A muffled cry from beyond the door spurned Kakashi on, in spite of his feelings and he burst through it and into the inner sanctuary. What he had seen outside and in the outer room did nothing to prepare him for what horrors unfolded before him.

The room was circular, like the outer one and the building itself, with a large, plain stone altar nearing the back. From where he stood, it looked like it was caked in old blood. The room was devoid of decoration, unlike the building’s exterior and the hall. Only that was not what had caught Kakashi’s attention.

In front of the alter were four cultists, huddled in fear of what stood between them and Kakashi. Its appearance was of a massive, hulking shadow. The thing’s shape constantly changed, and it seemed like once Kakashi’s eye focused on it, the creature had taken on a completely different form.

The shadow was hunched over a fifth person who was as still as death. Its head whipped around when it realized the door had opened behind it, showing its face. Or… lack of one. Its eyes were even darker, empty sockets and its mouth was a lipless slash with rows of needle-sharp teeth visible through its open and dripping maw.

When it turned to look at Kakashi and he saw what the shadow was concealing, he was stunned beyond words. Glaring back at him was a girl, no older than six with platinum hair caked with gore. Her eyes… Her eyes were blood red with protruding blacked veins trailing into them. Her mouth was so bloody Kakashi thought she had been beaten, but then she grinned at him showing two perfect rows of teeth.

She was cradling the body of a male cultist in her tiny arms, but the shadow tossed him aside and they turned to face Kakashi. Quickly, he shifted into a defensive stance – kunai and shuriken at the ready. This brought a peal of laughter from the girl and her shadow, but they remained where they were, sniffing the air.

She must have decided she was not interested in him because she turned to face the four remaining cultists in the room. The shadow, however, eyed Kakashi hungrily for a few more moments before turning with its girl.

One of the people, an older woman with gray streaks in her black hair, screamed and charged toward the girl, holding a ritual knife aloft. Sooner than she could make her attack, however, a blinding flash of light filled the room along with cries and shrieks of pain.

When Kakashi could open his eyes again, the woman was a smoldering clump of flesh on the ground before the girl and the shadow. It was not only the girl and the shadow anymore, though. There was now a small pillar of light flickering next to them. It was covered in flame-like eyes, all blinking in different tandems.

A man bellowed in rage, charging at the girl.

“That was my wife, you little bitch!” He screamed.

He did not make it more than a foot forward before the girl raised her hand and the light shot through the man. A look of shock crossed his features and he stood in place for so long Kakashi thought he may have turned to stone when he began to smoke. A small, vertical line of smoke appeared, and he split apart – entrails, veins, arteries, organs all cauterized as he was parted directly down the middle.

Without a care, the girl strode through the gore and viscera toward the remaining cultists, a delighted smile on her face. Cries the cultists issued to their silent goddess reached Kakashi’s ears and he could barely stand it, but there was no stopping the inevitable slaughter. Not without forfeiting his own life. So, he watched.

Their cries reached an ear shattering volume as the girl and her shadow and her pillar of light neared them. Prayers turned to incoherent screams and the young man threw himself upon the bloodied alter, begging his goddess to spare him.

Due to their screaming, Kakashi nearly missed what the little girl said next: “The mother can’t save you now.”

She laughed. If it were any other circumstance, any other child, Kakashi would have assumed her laughter was of a girl playing with her friends, maybe laughing at something silly. This was not the case, and the girl grabbed the woman’s flailing arm and sank her teeth into it, drinking deeply.

Blood began seeping out of the woman’s eyes, her screaming – gurgling – mouth, and ears. Gushing, until Kakashi could no longer see her features and she fell silent. The drip, drip, drip of blood and the young man’s sobbing pleas to the goddess were the only remaining sounds in the room. Kakashi was unsure if he himself was still breathing.

A gentle touch at his shoulder nearly sent him through the roof, but Kakashi merely allowed a controlled turn, kunai in hand. It was only the rest of his squad, watching the scene behind him unfold with the same horror he felt. He did not need to see their faces to be able to tell. He knew.

A silent command to halt from Kakashi was the only instruction they needed. There was no burning desire on their part to get in between the girl, the creatures, and their prey. Motionless they watched as the last cultist met their fate at the hands of the girl. As the shadow and light laid hand-like appendages upon her before dissipating slowly into nothing.

Listlessly, the girl turned toward the ANBU. Her shoulders slumped and head drooped as she attempted to take a step in their direction, but she stumbled. Bloody handprints were left on the floor when she pushed herself to her feet and tried, again, to reach them.

“Captain,” the typically silent Salamander said, never taking their gaze from the child staggering toward them. “What should we do?”

Kakashi shook his head, he too unable to turn away from the girl.

“Did any of you see any children in the buildings you searched?” Mouse asked, voice trembling. Unusual for her.

Salamander, Cat, and Kakashi all shook their heads.

“I searched all the places in my section a child could be, or even hide.” Cat said.

“Me too…” Mouse replied.

Salamander nodded as their reply.

Fox, however, hesitated.

“Go on, Fox.” Kakashi urged.

“Well… I was in one of the facilities in the section I chose to search…” They paused, gulping.

“And there was a sort of… cell. It was tiny, and dirty. The door was smashed and dented with tiny handprints and fist marks all at a child’s height.”

“But no child?” Kakashi surmised.

Fox shook their head.

“And there were no children’s bodies?” He asked. The girl had fallen again, nearer now.

“No,” they all replied. Even Salamander.

“It appears that people here had not had children in a while,” Mouse whispered, gripping her arms to keep from trembling. “All of the young people seemed to be nearing, or of, marrying age though.”

A deep, weary, sigh escaped Kakashi.

“I think you all know what this means.”

“That this girl,” Fox gestured toward the struggling child. “Is the one we are supposed to bring into the village?”

“It appears that way.” Kakashi replied.

“Danzo will not be pleased.” Salamander said.

“Who cares what that old blowhard thinks?” Cat growled. “Our mission is to return her to the village, and we will.”

Salamander shrugged.

“I think Salamander means Danzo will cause trouble.” Fox said, placatingly.

“Is anyone going to help her?” Mouse whispered. The girl had not gotten back up and had ceased moving.

Hesitantly, Kakashi took a step toward the child. Then another, and another, slowly until he reached her. Kneeling next to her apprehensively, Kakashi could see her breathing was incredibly shallow. There were no discernable injuries he could see. It seemed she had expended massive amounts of chakra which took a toll on her tiny body.

Kakashi was still unsure if it was safe to bring the girl back to the village, but he had a mission to complete. Carefully, he hoisted the small child in his arms and turned back to his squad.

“I’ll return alone,” he said, shifting her slightly in his arms. “That way if she is a danger, I’ll be the only casualty.”

The others began to protest their captain’s decision vehemently, but he would have none of it.

“If she kills me, she will be left alone on this mountain,” He explained. “She will die of starvation if she doesn’t die of the cold first.”

“But what about those… things?” Cat asked.

“Having them here must have cost her a lot of energy. I doubt they will be of much help out there in the cold, with little to no food and safe drinking water.” Kakashi said.

“Besides,” Mouse agreed slowly. “She won’t know which way the village is.”

Only then did the others consent to let Kakashi leave with the girl, albeit begrudgingly.

“I want the rest of you to stay behind here and gather whatever you can on the cult’s beliefs, experiments, and anything regarding Orochimaru’s involvement.” Kakashi commanded, awaiting their salute before exiting the temple.

Outside, Kakashi breathed deeply. The air still smelled of snow and death, especially because of the child he carried, but it was crisp and cold and helped clear his head. He stood there, breathing for a few heartbeats, and stared down at the child in his arms. She looked so small and innocent, despite the gore covering her small frame.

What he had seen in the ritual room was indescribable. There were so many questions running around in his mind he did not even know where to start asking. And _she_ was so small. So, so, small. Though it looked as if she had been fed regularly, the child was still incredibly thin. Another question… with another answer for a later date.

For now, Kakashi needed to return home. To the village. He did not know how Minato-sensei would react to the girl, or how anyone would for that matter. But it was his mission to return her, and Kakashi _always_ completed his missions.


End file.
